Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

New Zealand may be taking on extra risks -- by allowing a Covid-19 patient to be transferred from Fiji to New Zealand for treatment.The woman arrived at Auckland Airport last night, before being transferred to Middlemore Hospital.She's understood to be a high-profile World Health Organisation staffer, medevaced under a UN agreement.Auckland University public health expert Colin Tukuitonga told Kate Hawkesby  it's an inherently risky move.“There’s a higher chance that this is Delta varient, and Delta can go bad real quick. I think we’re accepting a risky situatuion to be honest.”Tukuitonga says if New Zealand wants to help people in Fiji, it should be deploying more specialists and resources to the country.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tramways Union drivers in Wellington have accepted a fourth pay offer from NZ Bus, bringing an end to months of wrangling over their collective agreement.The long-running saga has resulted in stop-work meetings, a strike, and a lockout.This afternoon NZ Bus confirmed in a statement a new collective employment agreement has been settled on with its Wellington drivers.Chief Operating Officer Jay Zmijewski said the agreement secures a fair and equitable outcome for existing staff and gives NZ Bus greater ability to recruit more full-time drivers."This is a great outcome. We want our drivers to be the best paid and have the best conditions in the industry, and this deal achieves that."We look forward to attracting more drivers to the industry to provide safe and secure public transport services to the people of Wellington."Tramways Union has been approached for comment.Zmijewski acknowledged the role Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) has played in the pay talks."We look forward to partnering with council

We're seeing a lot of raw emotion and huge pressure unfolding at the Olympics aren’t we?Which isn’t necessarily new, elite sport at that top level is hugely competitive and nothing but pressure.You're carrying the weight of the world, or at the very least your whole country, on your shoulders. There are tears, collapses, enormous highs, catastrophic lows. That’s elite sport, and most athletes at that level know that.But I just wonder whether this Olympics will be remembered for something else.For mental health issues coming to the fore and taking precedence over performance, and I can’t work out if this is a good or a bad thing.On the one hand, I appreciate how huge the toll is and admire athletes who have the guts to say, you know what? Not this time, can’t do it, my head’s not in it.I mean that can’t be easy and it takes guts. It also helps identify and draw into the mainstream that mental health as a very real issue, at even the highest levels of success.But I’m torn because on the other hand, you worked r

A plan to close the Milford Sound airstrip has been met with outrage by local tourism operators who use the runway.The Milford Opportunities Project Masterplan has been unveiled in Te Anau today, aimed at addressing visitor pressures and safety. It includes proposed changes to the way we access the UNESCO World Heritage site, including a plan for carbon neutral buses, charging international visitors, a ban on cruise ships in the inner sound and the removal of the airstrip.Tourism Industry Aotearoa says the plan could radically change the way we look after the jewel in New Zealand's tourism crown.However the Queenstown Milford Users Group (QMUG) is describing the plan to close the Milford Sound Airport a 'kick in the guts' and is strongly opposing the recommendation.Glenorchy Air owners James Stokes and Kirstin Stokes. (Photo / Supplied)QMUG represents the commercial GA operators flying to Milford.Chair James Stokes, who is also the owner and Managing Director of Glenorchy Air, says flying into Milford Sound i

New Zealand will get the clearest look at the inner workings of the supermarket giants on Thursday when the Commerce Commission releases its draft report into the level of competition across a $22 billion sector.Shortly after the election, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister David Clark announced the competition watchdog would undertake a market study into supermarkets to determine "whether the sector is as competitive as it could be".The market study is the second of its type under new powers to compel companies to provide detailed financial information, following an examination into petrol companies ordered by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in 2018.For months, the Wellington-based competition watchdog has been receiving evidence and interviewing witnesses, sometimes under oath.The study will be released at 8:30am, followed by a press conference. You can watch it live here.Like many industries in New Zealand, it is a sector dominated by two companies. Foodstuffs, which counts New World, Pak n Save and Four

Fiji 27New Zealand 12Five years after sevens made its Olympics debut, the world was treated to a dream final in the event.But unfortunately for New Zealand, it wasn't quite a dream result.The All Blacks Sevens had to content themselves with the silver medal after being overpowered by great rivals Fiji 27-12 at Tokyo Stadium tonight.It was New Zealand's second sevens silver after the women's side were runners-up in Rio five years ago, a medal collection that could increase with the Black Ferns Sevens kicking off their campaign tomorrow.But despite that silver hue now complementing the black jersey, the men's side were unable to attain the redemption they sought after the horror show of Rio 2016.They Kiwi men nervous debutants at those Games, losing to Japan and Great Britain in pool play before being dumped out of the quarter-finals by Fiji.New Zealand's woes denied the sport what would have been a fitting finale to its first inclusion at the Olympics. But the wait for a showpiece between the traditional rival

My kids and my husband think I’ve gone mad; it wouldn’t be the first time.But I can't help this sense of foreboding at the moment, that we just won't and can't escape Delta coming here.I’m not scaremongering; I’m not saying this to cause alarm. I’m just incredulous as to how we’ve escaped it thus far.Because we are virtually the only country to do so.Yes our geography and isolation helps, yes sheer good luck helps, we avoided potential catastrophe with the Wellington traveller didn’t we? That could’ve been a lot worse. But I can't help thinking logic would dictate that’s it’s only a matter of time.I hope I’m wrong. I hope I’m way off beam. (However I have been ramping up my health and wellbeing lectures to my kids.)I'm also mentally preparing myself for what will be our only possible response given our slow vaccination rollout; a lockdown.We would have to respond just like Australia is now.I’m just looking at the odds and going 'hmmmm.'How long until it accidentally trips its way in here?  How much luck do pe

The Olympics are now in full swing, with wall to wall coverage, yet it seems not as many people are watching them overseas.Over in the all-important US market, ratings for the opening ceremony dropped by 36 percent compared to Rio 2016.There are several factors thought to be behind this, but should Olympic officials be concerned?Senior TV editor at Variety Brian Steinberg joined Kate Hawkesby from New York and said the multitude of viewing options available these days makes it hard for broadcasters to pin consumers to one medium.“People are watching TV as they see fit, there are dozens and dozens of Olympics streams.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A suggestion more should be done to remove barriers for people wanting to get the Covid jab.It comes as the Group 4 rollout begins today, with people aged 60 plus, now able to book an appointment.That's despite many in Group 3 who say they still haven't received their jabs.Auckland University vaccinologist Helen Petousis-Harris says Kate Hawkesby vaccination centres need to be more approachable and accessible.“These clinics aren’t generally places that people find themselves comfortable in; I do think you have to find other ways to reach people.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scientists say they care about animals and there are strict rules about how they experiment on them.Twenty-one science organisations have signed an agreement to be more open about their use of animals in testing, teaching and research.Auckland University education lecturer Sally Birdsall was involved in developing it.She told Kate Hawkesby scientists are keen for more people to understand how the process of using animals happens.“And how the regulations actually mean that they can’t just do what they want, they’re heavily regulated.”More than 315-thousand animals were experimented on in New Zealand in 2019.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, in what should be a surprise to absolutely no one, we are taking back an alleged ISIS terror suspect and her children. Why?Because we snoozed, and we lost.ScoMo snookered us. Australia was first out of the blocks in revoking this woman’s citizenship – she had both Australian and NZ citizenship, but she hadn’t lived here since she was 6.When she was captured on the Syrian border and detained by Turkey for deportation, Australia promptly revoked her citizenship so she couldn’t go back there.They did this on the basis of her travelling to Syria on an Australian passport in 2014 to join ISIS.In doing so, Australia deftly dumped the problem right on our doorstep. Remember that? Jacinda Ardern was furious, she huffed and puffed at Scott Morrison and in her words, “made very strong representations to Australia” that they should take this woman back, not make it our problem.Australia ignored her. They’d already gotten in first; they’d already bailed on it and exposed our government as being asleep at the wheel.Wh

The true impact of the Sydney lockdown protest won’t be known for days, with one medical expert warning the thousands of people who attended could plunge all of NSW into lockdown.Greater Sydney is already preparing for another lockdown extension announcement this week, with editor of the Medical Journal of Australia, Professor Nick Talley, saying there is a high chance demonstrators who travelled to the protest from outside Sydney could spread the virus into regional areas of the state.Thousands descend on Sydney’s Town Hall for anti-lockdown protest. (Photo / NCA) “This was an idiotic thing to do, just idiotic. Yes, we risk a superspreader event,” he told 2GB on Monday morning.“There were people from, not only across Greater Sydney, but I understand people from also outside of Greater Sydney at those protests.“That means we might even risk outbreaks outside of Greater Sydney that really lead to the whole state locking down. Just a disaster.”Thousands of people converged on the Sydney CBD on Saturday to prote

Suhayra Aden and her two children are coming back to New Zealand.Aden was identified as an Islamic State terrorist by Turkey, when she was caught crossing the border from Syria in February.She's the woman who had Australian-New Zealand dual citizenship, which Australia revoked.Given there are two children involved with this case, Children's Commissioner Andrew Becroft told Kate Hawkesby we have a duty to stand up and help New Zealand citizens.“There are children who are New Zealand citizens who have nowhere to go, I think this is a chance to stand up and support them.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are calls for more help for young people living on the streets.A new report estimates an additional 18,000 children have been pushed into poverty since the first lockdown, with Maori and Pasifika worst hit.The number of homeless young people is especially concerning.Lifewise youth housing team leader Aaron Hendry told Kate Hawkesby young people need therapeutic interventions and we need to work with the community to house them long-term.“Rather than just putting them in a hotel for the night by themselves without any support, they get further harmed and they go back to the street.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think the trans-Tasman bubble being popped is no surprise to anyone.This government was always going to act with its standard ‘abundance of caution’ and with the backing still of the majority of New Zealanders loving being a hermit kingdom, it’s a win-win.Caution and safety.. check.Political points.. check.Protect ourselves from any potential border cock ups creating a fiasco with a Delta outbreak… check.It’s not a win-win for everybody however.Anyone in the productive sector of the economy crying out for staff, will be bristling at this.Get it and understand it as they well may, it doesn’t help their plight.Those strapped for staff, those who’ve lost or are losing their immigrant workforce due to visa delays, those in small towns unable to hire locally.I saw some of this first hand when I was in Queenstown during the school holidays.Which by the way, if you’re thinking of travelling to tourist hotspots like Queenstown or Rotorua during school holidays when borders are shut, think again.It was heaving.What

Little surprise at a new report highlighting the housing sector's increasing impact on the economy.Analysis commissioned by the Property Council shows the industry makes up 15 percent of our GDP.It also reveals the sector has grown by $19.6 billion between 2009 and 2019.Infometrics Senior Economist Brad Olsen told Kate Hawkesby the growth is in line with other data.“The general economy in New Zealand grew about 25 percent over the same period. So you're seeing property trend in that similar sort of position.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tokyo Olympics could be a good chance to get more young people interested in sport.New Zealand athletes will be back in action today in the triathlon, shooting, rugby sevens, tennis, cycling and hockey.They'll also be out on the water in the surfing, rowing, swimming and sailing.Sport New Zealand National Sport Development Manager Alex Chiet told Kate Hawkesby it's a good time for sport.“Kids and families are captivated by seeing different athletes in different sports. It's great for young people to see different sports than they'd usually see here in New Zealand.”LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All the action from the second day of the Tokyo Olympics that you may have missed late last night.Stunning swim17-year-old Erika Fairweather last night swam the race of her young life in the 400m freestyle heats in Tokyo, qualifying with the fourth-fastest time for this afternoon's Olympic final.Fairweather set a new national record with a rapid effort from lane eight at the Olympic Aquatics Centre, stopping the clock at 4:02.28 to best the previous mark set by Lauren Boyle at London 2012 by more than a second.Late thrillerThe Black Sticks men got their Olympic campaign right back on track, edging a seven-goal thriller against Spain.Jacob Smith's goal three minutes from fulltime proved the winner in an action-packed encounter in Tokyo, helping New Zealand to a 4-3 victory.Wouda, Shoulda, CouldaThe Oly Whites suffered a bitter – and slightly bizarre – defeat to Honduras, leading for most of the match but ultimately going down 3-2.The New Zealand side had the game under control with less than 15 minutes to play

There is an old maxim that goes back to pre-Christian times, divide and rule.Julius Caesar modified it to divide and conquer.Fast forward a couple of thousand years, and to this current discussion about White Privilege, which is very significant in a country like New Zealand.According to emails released under the Official Information Act, the Education Ministry has spent $700,000 dollars teaching civil servants about it.People who go on the course are apparently told that recognising white privilege acknowledges New Zealand's colonial history.And it probes the impact of white privilege on society, both in the past and today.Now, at AUT, previously the University of Technology, these days they have a Diversity Professor.Edwina Pio says white privilege is alive and it needs to be addressed with rational compassion, whatever that means.Is it just me?Am I coming from a position of white privilege to suggest that when you tell someone they've had a bad deal often enough, they'll begin to believe it.Or is there rea

New Zealand’s home of rugby, Eden Park, is branching out, into the world of art.This weekend, the stadium hosts its first ever art show, featuring more than 100 New Zealand artists.Art in the Park is what they’re calling it and director Cary Cochrane told Tim Dower with the amount of work on display, there is something for everyone.“We have 105 fantastic artists and incredibly, nearly 2000 artworks that are going to be on display; painting, sculpture, photography and print.”LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.